2012 Annual Meeting & Awards Banquet
More than 300 producers and leaders in the beef industry assembled at the Columbus Marriott Northwest in Dublin, Ohio on Jan. 28, 2011 for the Ohio Cattlemen’s Association’s (OCA) annual meeting and awards banquet. The event featured policy development sessions, OCA’s annual meeting and the OCA’s award banquet. Following the banquet comedian Drew Hastings entertained the crowd with his stories of learning to be a cattleman.
With record cattle prices helping generate positive attitudes, OCA members came together to conduct association business, recognize their peers and enjoy socializing,” says Elizabeth Harsh, OCA Executive Director.
Colin Woodall, NCBA Vice President of Governmental Affairs, gave an update on NCBA activities as well as discussed many of the issues NCBA is working on for the beef industry. Woodall’s top policy areas included GIPSA, the 2012 farm bill, animal welfare, death tax, child labor regulations and the transportation bill.
OCA officers reported that 2011 was a very strong year financially for the association and membership renewals for 2012 are on track with previous years. The Beef Improvement Committee gave an update on the Seedstock Improvement Sales and the Ohio Beef Expo.
OCA President Dave Felumlee coordinated the policy development portion of the OCA Annual Meeting. These resolutions covered a broad range from agriculture policy to cattle health, international markets, live cattle marketing and property rights and environmental issues. In addition, the members held a discussion about seeking an increase in the state beef checkoff. Information on current checkoff funded programs was presented, as well as a review of the last 25 years of the national checkoff program. The buying power of the beef checkoff has eroded to the point that the $1 checkoff purchases 47 cents of what it did in 1985 when it was started. OCA policy was adopted to seek an increase in the state beef checkoff.
OCA Membership Committee also recognized the members of OCA’s Top Hand Recruiting Club. Land O’Lakes Feed and Quality Liquid Feed sponsored the awards.
OCA members and guests reconvened that evening for the banquet to celebrate another successful year and to recognize the Ohio beef industry’s best and brightest.
An early highlight of the banquet included the crowning of 2012 Ohio Beef Queen Paige Guenther of Hardin County. Guenther’s court includes first runner-up Erica Clouse of Guernsey County, and second runner-up Haley Beck of Huron County.
Eleven scholarships were presented to outstanding youth during the awards banquet. Steve R. Rauch Benchmark of Excellence scholarship recipients included: Krystin Bachman, Fairfield County; Bailey Harsh, Delaware County; and Lindsey Grimes, Highland County. Brandom Klehm, Minerva; Dara Howser, Mount Orab; Jessica Harsh, Radnor; and Lacey Uhler, Wooster were awarded $1,000 Tagged for Greatness Scholarships, which are funded with the sales of the Ohio Beef license plate.
Lydia Ulry, Johnstown; Rebecca Auck, Tiro; and Shyla Kreager, Newark received a $1,000 Country Club Scholarship, which was funded by the putt putt course at the 2011 Ohio State Fair. The Ohio CattleWomen’s Association awarded a scholarship to Mollie DePue of Hamden.
OCA also recognized county associations that incorporate new or creative activities to build stronger relationships with the state group, to promote beef or to emphasize community involvement. Stark County was announced as the outstanding county affiliate and received a $500 award. Fairfield County was announced as the second place outstanding county affiliate and received a $300 award while Highland County was the winner of the third place outstanding affiliate award and received $200.
The highlight of the banquet began with the final five awards of the evening. Sutherly Brothers LLC of Troy received the Commercial Cattleman of the Year award, while Turkey Run Angus Farm of Otway was awarded Seedstock Producer of the Year. The special evening for beef producers continued with awards being presented to Young Cattleman of the Year Scott and Sasha Rittenhouse of New Carlisle; Industry Service Award winner Dr. Bobby Moser, Ohio State University; and Industry Excellence recipient Bill and Beverly Roe of Hamilton.
Awards in these categories were sponsored by the Ohio Cattlemen’s Association with Farm and Dairy, Farm World, Ohio Farmer, Ohio’s Country Journal, and Brownfield Ag Network respectively.